Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus Condors Once extending to Tierra del Fuego through the Andean mountain range of South America, the Andean Condor came perilously close to extinction due in part to aggressive hunting. Placed on the Endangered Species list in 1973, this grandest of flying birds is finally making a dramatic comeback, thanks in part to the efforts of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo - DemetZoo The Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus, is a species of bird in one of the vulture families.It is in many regards the largest flying land bird in the Western Hemisphere and is the heaviest, but not the lengthiest, member of the order Ciconiiformes. This condor inhabits the Andes mountains. Although it is primarily a scavenger, this species belongs to the New World vulture family Cathartidae, related to storks and not closely related to Old World vultures , which are in the family Accipitridae along with hawks , eagles and kites .

Appearance Although about 5 cm shorter (beak to tail) on average than the California Condor , the Andean Condor is undoubtedly larger in wingspan: Ferguson-Lees gives 274–310 cm (108–122 in). It is also heavier: up to 11–15 kg (24–33 lb) for males and 7.5–11 kg (16–24 lb) for females. Measurements are usually taken from specimens reared in captivity. The adult plumage is of a uniform black, with the exception of a frill of white feathers nearly surrounding the base of the neck and, especially in the male, large patches or bands of white on the wings which do not appear until the completion of the first moulting. As an adaptation for hygiene, the head and neck have few feathers, exposing the skin to the sterilizing effects of dehydration and ultraviolet light at high altitudes, and are meticulously kept clean by the bird. The head is much flattened above. In the male it is crowned with a caruncle or comb, while the skin of the neck in the male lies in folds, forming a wattle.

The skin of the head and neck is capable of flushing noticeably in response to emotional state, which serves to communicate between individuals. The middle toe is greatly elongated, and the hinder one but slightly developed, while the talons of all the toes are comparatively straight and blunt. The feet are thus more adapted to walking as in their relatives the storks, and of little use as weapons or organs of prehension as in birds of prey and Old World vultures. The female, contrary to the usual rule among birds of prey , is smaller than the male. Behavior Sexual maturity and breeding behavior do not appear in the condor until 5 or 6 years of age. They may live for 50 years or more, and mate for life. The Andean condor prefers roosting and breeding at elevations of 3,000 to 5,000 m (10,000–16,000 ft).

There on inaccessible ledges of rock, its nest consisting merely of a few sticks placed around the eggs, it deposits one or two bluish-white eggs, weighing about 10 ounces (280 g) and from 3 to 4 inches (75 to 100 mm) in length, during the months of February and March every second year. The egg hatches after 54–58 days of incubation by both parents. If the chick or egg is lost or removed, another egg is laid to take its place. Researchers and breeders take advantage of this behavior to double the reproductive rate by taking the first egg away for hand-rearing, causing the parents to lay a second egg which they are generally allowed to raise. The young are covered with a grayish down until almost as large as their parents. They are able to fly after six months, but continue to roost and hunt with their parents until age two, when they are displaced by a new clutch. There is a well developed social structure within large groups of condors, with competition to determine a 'pecking order' by body language, competitive play behavior, and a wide variety of vocalizations, even though the condor has no voice box.

On wing the movements of the condor, as it wheels in majestic circles, are remarkably graceful. The lack of a large sternum to anchor correspondingly large flight muscles identifies them physiologically as primarily soarers. The birds flap their wings on rising from the ground, but after attaining a moderate elevation they seem to sail on the air. Charles Darwin commented on having watched them for half an hour without once observing a flap of their wings. They prefer to roost on high places from where they can launch without major wing-flapping effort. Oftentimes, these birds are seen soaring near rock cliffs, using the heat thermals to aid them with rising in the air. Wild condors inhabit large territories, often traveling 250 km (150 miles) a day in search of dead animals. They prefer large carcasses such as deer or cattle which they spot by looking for other scavengers, who cannot rip through the tougher hides of these larger animals with the efficiency of the larger condor. In the wild they are intermittent eaters, often going for a few days without eating, then gorging themselves on several pounds at once, sometimes to the point of being unable to lift off the ground.

Human influence The Andean Condor is the national symbol of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Chile. It plays an important role in the folklore and mythology of the South American Andean regions, similar to the role the Bald Eagle plays in North America. As such, condors are depicted in the national coats of arms of Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Chile, and can also be seen in the state flag of Ecuador. One of best known Peruvian songs is El Cóndor Pasa (The condor passes), composed by Peruvian musician Daniel Alomía Robles. The melody attained world fame years later, in Paul Simon's "If I Could". Tourists can see the condors flying freely at the Colca Canyon in Peru, which is a natural habitat of the great Andean Condor. The Andean Condor is becoming more common in bird shows, and these large birds can prove very powerful and aggressive, so a well-trained Andean Condor appearing free in a public show is an impressive feat. Systematics and evolution The Andean Condor is the only accepted species of its genus, living or extinct.

Unlike the California Condor , which is known from extensive fossil remains and some additional ones of congeners, the fossil record of the Andean Condor recovered to date is scant. Some prehistoric genera of New World vultures seem to be closely related to Vultur; the Argentine Early to Middle Pliocene Dryornis pampeanus may actually belong into this genus[citation needed]. Presumed Plio-/Pleistocene species of South American condors were later recognized to be not different from the present species, although one known only from a few rather small bones found in a Pliocene deposit of Tarija Department, Bolivia, may have been a smaller palaeosubspecies, V. gryphus patruus (Fisher, 1944). Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License . It uses material from Wikipedia.org ... Additional information and photos added by Avianweb. Please Note: The articles or images on this page are the sole property of the authors or photographers. Please contact them directly with respect to any copyright or licensing questions. Thank you. BeautyOfBirds strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, mistakes do happen.

If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please send us an e-mail . THANK YOU! Andean Condors, Andean Condor Pictures, Andean Condor Facts - National Geographic The Andean condor has the largest wing area of any bird. Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man: Andean condors are massive birds, among the largest in the world that are able to fly. Because they are so heavy (up to 33 pounds/15 kilograms), even their enormous 10-foot (3-meter) wingspan needs some help to keep them aloft. For that reason, these birds prefer to live in windy areas where they can glide on air currents with little effort. Andean condors are found in mountainous regions, as their name suggests, but also live near coasts replete with ocean breezes and even deserts that feature strong thermal air currents. These condors are mostly black, but males have a distinctive white "collar" around their necks and some white markings on their wings as well. Like their relatives, the California condors, Andean condors have bald heads.

Condors are vultures, so they keep their sharp eyes peeled for the carrion that makes up most of their diet. They prefer to feast on large animals, wild or domestic, and in picking the carcasses, they perform an important function as a natural clean-up crew. Along the coasts, condors will feed on dead marine animals like seals or fish. These birds do not have sharp predator's claws, but they will raid birds' nests for eggs or even young hatchlings. These long-lived birds have survived over 75 years in captivity, but they reproduce slowly. A mating pair produces only a single offspring every other year, and both parents must care for their young for a full year. The Andean condor is considered endangered but is in far better shape than its California cousin. Perhaps a few thousand South American birds survive, and reintroduction programs are working to supplement that number.

Andean Condor (Birds) In Depth Tutorials and Information Andean Condor (Birds) Vultur gryphus KEY FEATURES • Soars at altitudes up to 18,000′ and can spot an animal carcass from a distance of several miles • Has the largest wing area of any bird (nearly 6.5 sq. ft., allowing it to glide on rising air currents • Can devour up to 15 lbs. of flesh at one sitting, but may eat so much it can’t take off again Found high in the Andes mountains of western South America, over the grasslands of Argentina south of the Rio Negro and on the coasts of Peru and Chile Lifecycle Hanging like a huge kite on the breeze, the condor performs the role of “undertaker” in its bleak homeland, locating carcasses far below and swooping down to tear into them. HABITAT A Sailing on high The condor soars on huge, slotted wings, supported on updrafts above monumentally high peaks.

The Andean condor is native to the Andes mountain chain that extends north to south along the entire length of western South America, but also can be found over the coasts of Peru and Chile and the Patagonian steppe of Argentina. Wheeling and soaring over high mountains, windswept upland plains and lowland desert areas, the condor looks for signs of other scavengers gathering over carrion. It avoids forests, where locating carcasses and landing is difficult for such a broad-winged bird. Although the Andean condor doesn’t migrate seasonally it covers huge areas while foraging. It relies on its superb soaring abilities to carry it at high altitudes back to its roosting site each evening. The condor tends to roost and nest on the faces of high cliffs, where few predators can gain access to its eggs and from where it can launch itself easily into the air. BEHAVIOR The condor usually roosts on cliff faces because it needs thermals (warm air currents) and cliffside updrafts to carry it aloft. It waits for the morning sun to heat the land and create the thermals and basks until its organs and flight muscles are warmed.

When conditions are right for flight, it launches into the buoyant updrafts. When feeding on hot days from a carcass, the condor absorbs reflected heat from the ground. To stay cool, it radiates excess body heat through loose skin folds on its naked head and deficates on its legs. Back up on high, thick body plumage keeps it warm and it draws its head into its snug, downy neck ruff. South American Indians believed that eating the condor’s eyes would sharpen their own eyesight. Quills from Andean condor’s wing feathers were used in mechanisms of harpsichords. The Andean condor’s a wingspan up to 25′. FOOD & FEEDING The condor scans the ground for carcasses, but often follows other scavengers, such as smaller vulture species.This benefits lesser vultures — only the condor (with its huge, hooked beak) can rip open the tough skin of some carcasses. Condors and other vultures feed in order of age seniority; each thrusts its head into the carcass for pieces of flesh to gobble down. The condor feeds mainly on the carrion of mammals such as sheep, cattle and llamas.

In coastal areas, it pecks at beached whale carcasses, patrols seal rookeries for casualties and afterbirths and even raids seabird colonies for eggs. A Land of giants The condor is the biggest vulture in South America. 1 Follow the crowd From high in the sky, the condor scours the horizon. Seeing a flock of vultures circling over a llama carcass, the big bird loses height… 2 Take the lead …and follows them to a fresh llama carcass lying on the ground.The smaller vultures stand back. 3 Rip .while the condor uses its stout, hooked bill to make the first cut in the llama’s tough hide. Once it has opened up the belly of the carcass.. Feed …the condor eats its fill. Less-senior condors await their turn at the carcass; they’re followed by smaller vulture species. BREEDING The condor breeds every other year; and even then only when enough carrion is available to feed the chick. Once paired, however; condors remain together for life.The nest site is usually situated high on a sheer cliff face; in a small cave or recessed ledge.

The female lays a single; white egg on bare rock and both parents share the task of incubation.When the chick hatches, adults feed it partly digested flesh, passing it from bill to bill. As the chick grows, it learns to help itself from food offerings dropped by adults in the nesting area.The juvenile takes six months to fledge and depends on its parents for many more months before becoming independent. Meet on the ledge Condors aren’t social, but pairs may use the same cliff ledge for nesting. CONSERVATION The Andean condor lives long and breeds slowly; any human interference rapidly upsets this pattern.The condor is hunted for sport and is persecuted by some farmers who believe it kills domestic livestock. It also suffers from pesticides that are carried up through food chains. Numbers have plummeted, but the condor isn’t officially listed as endangered. Recent attempts to rescue the Andean condor and the rare California condor, through captive breeding and habitat research programs, have met with moderate success. PROFILE Andean Condor The Andean condor’s huge wing area allows it to soar on air currents, and its dense plumage keeps it warm at high altitudes.

CREATURE COMPARISONS DNA studies show that the Andean condor isn’t related to Old World (African and Eurasian) vultures, but shows closer affinities to storks. The African marabou stork, for example, has striking similarities to the condor. Like the condor, this stork is a bald-headed carrion eater and locates its prey by soaring at great altitude on huge, deeply slotted wings. vital statistics Andean Condor » Our Endangered World Andean Condor up close courtesy of Drriss Andean Condor portrait courtesy of Nathan Rupert Andean Condor looking straight courtesy of Nathan Rupert Andean Condor flying courtesy of Eric Miraglia Andean Condor courtesy of Anthony Status: Near threatened Estimated numbers left in wild: Several thousand; no accurate figures are available Description The Andean condor is classified as a raptor, a bird of prey, and as such, is the largest of this type in the world. This is a very large and heavy bird, with a wingspan up to 320 centimetres and a beak to tail length between 100 centimetres and 130 centimetres.

These birds can weigh 15 kilograms. Not only are the male birds larger than the females, but they are also distinguished by their wattles and comb. Both sexes sport a fluffy white collar, while the predominant body colour is black with white secondary wing feathers. This condor has a long lifespan, 50 years or more. Diet: Andean condors are scavengers, meaning that they feed mostly on dead animals, although they have been known to take sea birds and eggs. Their beaks are not as strong as those of eagles and hawks, however, but are suited to tearing open carcasses. The lack of feathers on the head is an adaptation that keeps the bird cleaner when eating, and their digestive system has evolved to handle bacteria so that the condor will not become ill from eating rotten meat. Because the condor locates carcasses by sight, rather than by smell, it tends to avoid forested or brushy areas where spotting dead animals could be difficult or impossible. Areas such as these might also present problems with the bird getting airborne again, too. The Andean condor will sometimes fly 120 kilometres in a day in search of food.

Yellow: Extant (resident) (Source IUCN Red List) Breeding: The Andean condor mates for life and nests at high elevations. It is thought that because of the heavy weight of the bird, it needs the altitude and strong air currents found in mountainous regions to get off the ground easily. The female lays one egg every other year right on the bare rock ledge and both parents participate in incubation and care of the chick. The chicks are not able to fly until they are 6 months old, and remain under their parent’s care for two years. Location: The Andean condor is found all along the western coast of South America, along the ridge of the Andes Mountains, although it is rare in the northern section of its range. Although mountains are its favourite locale, it is sometimes found in deserts, grasslands, or along the shore. Conservation Threats: Humans have moved into some of the areas formerly used by the condors, and it is now very rare in Colombia and Venezuela. The Andean condor is sometimes killed by farmers who believe that it is attacking their livestock.

Another threat comes from the primitive belief that different body parts of the condor will treat certain ailments – it is thought that cancer can be cured by eating the condor’s stomach, and that a person will get sharper eyesight by eating the eyes. Poisons used to kill predatory animals are sometimes ingested by the condor, and pesticide residues could be affecting fertility and overall health. Conservation efforts: Although numbers of the Andean condor had dipped perilously, efforts to save this species have been successful so far. North and South American captive breeding, combined with release in the birds’ home range, has helped numbers of the condors to climb. The hand reared, released birds have bred in the wild. Organisations Do you know of or are you a part of an organisation that work to conserve the Andean Condor, then please contact us to have it featured on Our Endangered World. Condor Species condor | bird | Britannica.com Condor vertebrate Condor, either of two large New World vultures —the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) and the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus)—that are two of the largest flying birds.

Wingspans of up to 3.2 metres (10.5 feet) have been reported for male Andean condors, and adult California condors typically reach 2.9 metres (9.5 feet). From beak to tail, the body of each is about 1.2 metres (4 feet) long. Male Andean Condors may weigh up to 15 kg (33 pounds), and female Andean and both sexes of California condors may reach 11 kg (24 pounds) in weight. Female Andean condor (Vultur gryphus). Copyright F. Gohier/Photo Researchers The male Andean condor is a black bird with grayish white wing feathers, a white fringe of feathers around the neck, and a bare red or pinkish head, neck, and crop. Males have a large caruncle, or fleshy protuberance, on the forehead and top of the beak, and turkeylike neck wattles. The species ranges throughout the Andes Mountains of South America, frequenting open country and feeding on carcasses. In Peru and Chile it descends to the Pacific Coast, where it feeds on dead marine animals such as seals and fish.

Andean condors are rare in northern South America but still relatively common in the southern part of their range. They breed every other year unless the hatchling dies, in which case the pair breeds again the following year. The young are raised on remote ledges and in caves at altitudes above 3,000 metres (10,000 feet), using no nesting material. The white egg measures about 12 cm (4.5 inches) long. Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) soaring. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Adult California condors are mostly black, with bold white wing linings, and bare red-to-orange head, neck, and crop. Young birds have dark heads that gradually become red as they near adulthood at about six years of age. They forage in open country and feed exclusively on carrion. California condors nest in cliffs, under large rocks, or in other natural cavities, including holes in redwood trees. They generally breed every other year, laying a single unmarked greenish white egg measuring about 11 cm (4 inches) long. California condor (Gymnogyps californianus).

John Borneman—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent The California condor is critically endangered . By 1982 only 20 remained in the wild, and efforts were made to establish a captive breeding flock in zoos. Owing to excessive mortality from lead poisoning and shooting, the wild population continued to decline, and in 1987 the last free-flying survivor was trapped and taken into protective captivity. The first successful captive breeding occurred in 1988, and numerous captive progeny were released to the wild beginning in 1992. These conservation efforts enabled the total California condor population to reach 289 by mid-2006, including 138 wild birds in southern and central California, northern Arizona , and northern Baja California , Mexico. In 2002 the first egg to be laid in the wild by captive-raised condors hatched, and by mid-2010 44 adults had produced viable offspring in the wild. California condor (Gymnogyps californianus).

Andean Condor | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants Species: gryphus ABOUT Old bird from the New World. The Andean condor is the largest raptor in the world and the largest flying bird in South America. It flies majestically over the mountains and valleys of the Andes. This bird of prey and its close cousin, the California condor, are part of the New World vultures, a group of birds more closely related to storks than to the vultures of Africa. Andean condors are the only New World vultures to show sexual dimorphism. Males are usually larger than females and have a distinctive comb on top of their head, as well as a large neck wattle and yellow eyes. The females lack the comb and have red eyes. The males keep the comb all their life, which makes it easy to tell the sex of an Andean condor chick as soon as it hatches. As adults, both sexes have black plumage with white secondary feathers and white neck ruffles. Juveniles have brown plumage and skin and don’t develop their adult coloring until they are about six years old.

Andean condors do not have a syrinx (similar to our larynx), so they cannot vocalize. Instead, they hiss, click, and grunt to communicate. HABITAT AND DIET Flying high. These impressive birds live in the highest peaks of the Andes. They nest in rocky crags and soar over open grasslands and lowland desert regions. When not scanning the landscape for a meal, the birds may roost in small groups, often stretching their enormous wings to catch some sun or preening. Andean condors used to range in large numbers from the highlands of northern South America to the tip of Tierra del Fuego in the south. They tend to stay away from human disturbance, causing their range decrease dramatically. Today, Andean condors are most often seen in Peru, Chile, and Argentina, although a reintroduction program is taking place in Colombia. The sky's the limit. To find their food, Andean condors use their excellent eyesight and can spot a meal from high up in the air. They also look for clues to their next meal, such as other raptors gathering in one area on the ground or circling in the sky.

Condors can glide over large areas while using little energy. These huge birds are too heavy to fly without help. They use warm air currents (thermals) to help them gain altitude and soar through the sky. By gliding from thermal to thermal, a condor may need to flap its wings only once every hour. When a condor stretches out its wings, the wing feathers look like outstretched fingertips. These “fingertips” let the condor make fine adjustments in flight, like wing flaps on an airplane. A meal to die for. Like all vultures, Andean condors are scavengers and find most of their food after it is already dead. This lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but it does have certain advantages—the food can’t fight back! Like most other vultures, condors have a featherless head. This keeps the head from getting too messy while buried in a carcass. Condors have a high resistance to harmful bacteria, and their curved beak is good for tearing rotting flesh. But as strong and impressive as an Andean condor’s beak looks, it is not as strong as the beaks of other birds of prey.

After a condor eats, it rubs its head and neck back and forth across the ground to get all the “crumbs” off. These birds can consume more than 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) of meat at one time, and may not be able to fly after such a large meal. At the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the Andean condors get rats, rabbits, beef spleen, trout, and ground meat, depending on the day. Although they are able to eat rancid meat, they prefer fresh food. FAMILY LIFE Watch out. Healthy adult condors have no natural predators and are vigilant when protecting their egg or chick. Humans have become non-natural predators. Ranchers poison livestock carcasses to ward off mountain lions and foxes; the poisoned carcasses kill the condors, too. Look at me! The male Andean condor uses quite a display to attract his mate. He spreads his wings, clicks his tongue and hisses, and his neck turns yellow. If the female is impressed, the two find an appropriate nesting spot, usually in a shallow cave on a cliff ledge. The female lays a single egg, which the parents take turns incubating. Baby makes three.

Once the chick hatches, both parents are responsible for its care for over a year, well after the chick has fledged at six months. The young condor spends this time learning how to be a condor from its parents, everything from how to catch a thermal to what to eat and how to find it. Not until the condor is about six years old does it molt the brown feathers of its youth and grow the black-and-white plumage of an adult. AT THE ZOO Our first condors. Having an Andean condor at the San Diego Zoo in 1929 seems rather remarkable for the times. He was named Bum, and he was quite a character. Bum had been hand raised as a wild-caught youngster in a zoo in Germany, so he was used to people and even liked to play with them. But since he had a large wingspan and a sharp beak, the humans had to watch their step. Bum’s favorite person was his keeper, Karl Ring. When Karl came by, Bum hopped over to say hello. The two also had a favorite game in which Karl would lie down flat on his back so Bum could hop up to stand on his chest, wings spread.

Bum was soon paired with a young female from South America named Cleo. She was not nearly as friendly as Bum and hissed and charged at the keepers, but Cleo and Bum got along famously. In July 1942, a male chick named Guaya was hatched and raised on exhibit—believed to be the first Andean condor hatched in managed care in the United States! The world’s first incubator-hatched Andean condor hatched in May 1950. There were more exciting moments as the Zoo continued to hatch and raise Andean condors, leading to a successful reintroduction program for the birds. Helping California condors. Our knowledge in working with Andean condors helped us prepare to save the critically endangered California condor. Andean condors were temporarily released in California to help test release techniques for their northern cousins as part of the California Condor Recovery Program. (The Andean condors were later recaptured and re-released in Colombia.) Condor ambassadors. Both the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park have Andean condors as part of our collection.

The Zoo’s condor pair is on exhibit along Eagle Trail, and one of their offspring is now off exhibit at the Safari Park to become a candidate for release into the wild in Colombia. We also have Andean condors trained as animal ambassadors. At the Zoo, Pelona is often part of the Camp Critters show, where she impresses all by flying over the audience! At the Park, Andean condors Califia and Suyana take turns in the Frequent Flyers show, spreading their huge wings for all to marvel at! CONSERVATION Perilous prestige. Andean condors play a key role in a healthy, well-balanced environment because of their important role as nature’s recyclers. Consuming wild animal carcasses helps reduce the spread of diseases such as anthrax and botulism. Yet Andean condors are threatened over most of their range, both revered and feared by local people. The condor is seen as a symbol of power, health, and liberty, and its bones and organs are used in traditional medicines. It is believed that the bird's stomach cures breast cancer, roasted condor eyes improve eyesight, and a condor feather under the bed wards off nightmares.

Condors also appear in many South American myths. The Incas thought that the condor brought the sun into the sky every morning and was a messenger to the gods. There are also misconceptions about the condor's role in the food chain, so condors are shot or poisoned to “protect” livestock. Condors also face threats from loss of habitat and reduced food sources. High hopes. The good news is that Andean condors breed well in managed care, and there are continuing successful efforts to restore the condor population in the wild. Michael Mace, curator of birds at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, is the coordinator for the Andean Condor Species Survival Plan. Since 1989, 68 Andean condors, raised in American and Colombian zoos, have been released in Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru in an attempt to re-establish the birds in their range countries. By using satellites and radiotelemetry, Colombian biologists have been able to track and monitor the released birds and have found that they have survived, matured, and are now beginning to breed in the wild, a significant milestone of success for any reintroduction program.

In 1995, we received a significant achievement award for our Andean condor reintroduction program. This program will continue until the species has recovered. We are also exploring other opportunities in South America where another release program could be developed. Teamwork! One of the reasons for the survivorship of the released birds is public education and outreach. Condor “guards” from local communities teach condor natural history and conservation, and local school students are trained to “look to the skies” through training workshops in techniques such as biotelemetry (radio tracking), field notations, and the use of binoculars and spotting scopes. This training provides a deeper understanding of why condors are important to the environment, Andean ecology, and their intrinsic value to the human community. The Andean condor program is a shining example of what can be accomplished when there is cooperation between the public and private sectors, zoos and government agencies, field biologists, and aviculturists. The excitement and enthusiasm for Andean condor recovery is no less now than it was in 1989, when the first male condors flew out of the release aviary in Chingaza, Colombia.

The future for the Andean condor is much brighter now than it was when we began. This is a species that we can enjoy watching over the Andean peaks for many more years to come. You can help us bring Andean condors back from the brink by supporting the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy . Together we can save and protect wildlife around the globe. LIFE SPAN Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) in Explore Raptors: Facts, habitat, diet | The Peregrine Fund How The Peregrine Fund is helping The Peregrine Fund has been supporting conservation and research for the Andean Condor in Ecuador (since 2008), Chile (2008-2009), Bolivia (since 2011) and Argentina (since 2012). Our support helps local biologists and students research and monitor wild populations and helps with captive breeding, environmental education, and community participation programs.

Since 2010, The Peregrine Fund, as a member of the Andean Condor Working Group, has been providing scientific advice to the Ministry of Environment of Ecuador on condor conservation, and since mid-2011 conducting collaborative research on movements and habitat use of Andean Condors. Where they live As its name suggests, the Andean Condor inhabits much of the Andes Mountain range along the Pacific coast region of western South America. It can be found from Colombia and northwestern Venezuela, all the way south to Tierra del Fuego. This large scavenger can be seen soaring over high montane canyons and peaks throughout the Andes or along the coast in the southern part of its range. It often soars over open grassland areas as it searches for food. What they do With the longest wingspan of any raptor, Andean Condors are built for soaring and they do so effortlessly. Soaring makes it possible for them to fly for long periods of time without expending much energy. They only need to flap their wings occasionally; the rest of the time, they are floating on air. When you see a soaring condor, notice that the tips of its wings are pointing up.

This helps with soaring by reducing drag, or air resistance. People who design airplanes have used this same feature on some airplane wings. Adult Andean Condors are unmistakable with their large black bodies, white neck ruff and featherless heads. Juveniles are grayish-brown with no white neck ruff. Of all the New World Vultures, the Andean Condor is the only one that shows sexual dimorphism, which means there is a visible difference in size and physical characteristics between the male and the female. The males are larger than the females and they have a comb on top of their heads, which the females lack. Male condors are born with this comb and each one is unique. Biologists take photos of the male condors and learn to identify individuals by the patterns of wrinkles on their combs and faces. Males have yellow eyes, while the female's eyes are red. At night, Andean Condors all get together to sleep. They can be found in relatively large numbers, roosting on inaccessible cliffs and rocky outcrops. These areas are up high to help keep them safe from ground predators.

If you are ever lucky enough to see an Andean Condor, you may notice that they often perch with their wings outspread, sunning themselves. Condors, like many birds and even humans, enjoy the feel of the warm sun on their backs. Condors spread their wings to allow the most sunlight to reach as many of their feathers as possible. They sun to stay warm and to keep their feathers healthy. Like the California Condor, the Andean Condor poops on its own legs from time to time! Scientists believe that California Condors do this to help them stay cool in warm weather. Temperatures in the Andes are much cooler, so scientists believe that certain properties in the uric acid help disinfect their legs to help keep them clean. Why they need our help The Andean Condor is suffering widespread declines, especially in the northern part of its range. They are endangered in Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador and vulnerable in many other parts of South America. As with many raptor species, these birds are shot and poisoned, or some die due to a changing landscape and a lack of adequate food.

In one case, Andean Condors could be found at sea bird colonies in Peru, but there they came into conflict with guano workers. It is the job of a guano worker to collect sea bird excrement to be used as fertilizer. The guano workers wanted to stop the condors from feeding on nestling seabirds so that these young birds could grow up and produce more guano for them to collect. That is why Andean Condors were killed off in some of these coastal areas. In some countries, people capture condors for their rituals. Most often, the Andean Condors die a very slow death. In one ritual, the condor is tied to the back of a bucking bull. In another, the bird is tied to a frame and hit over and over until it dies. Many people in these countries are protesting these activities and trying to put a stop to them. What they eat Andean Condors, like other vultures, are principally carrion eaters, which means they eat animals that are already dead. However, some people who live in condor habitat have reported that these large birds occasionally also take newborn animals, such as cows and goats.

Andean Condors search for prey by soaring far and wide, using their keen eyesight to spot a meal. They are also attracted to large congregations of other raptors or scavengers, as this usually means that there is a feast to be had somewhere nearby. Andean Condors generally feed on large carrion, such as the remains of deer, cow, sheep, and the like, though they will eat smaller animals when they can find them. Usually, several condors gather at a single carcass. When the carcass is large, they tend to feed mainly on soft body parts and viscera, which basically means the guts. Because of their large size, Andean Condors are dominant over all other avian scavengers at a carcass. As nature's clean-up crew, condors and other carrion eaters often eat organisms in dead and decaying animals that are harmful to humans and the environment. They help keep us safe and the environment clean! Condors like to be clean, too. In fact, it is important for all birds to keep their feathers neat and well-groomed. But you’ve never seen a bird with a hair brush, right?

Instead, they use their beaks to clean, or preen, their feathers. Like all vultures, condors have very few feathers on their heads. When they eat, they sometimes put their heads deep into the cavities of rotting, stinky carcasses. If particles of this meat got deep into their feathers, they might cause bacteria or germs to grow. A bald head helps keep condors clean. Nest, eggs and young During courtship season, the male works hard to impress the female. He walks around with wings spread, making all kinds of unusual and interesting noises. When the time is right, the female lays one chalky white egg. Andean Condors don't build their own nests. Instead, they lay the egg right on the substrate in a natural cavity in rock piles or in a cave high in cliff. The embryo inside the egg needs a long time to develop. The female must incubate the egg for almost two months – a few days longer than a Harpy Eagle must incubate her egg. Once the egg hatches, the chick grows quickly. The parents must work hard to bring it enough food so it will grow into a healthy bird.

Condors can’t carry food in their feet like most birds of prey. Instead, the adults store food for their young in their crop, a special pouch inside their throats where food sits before it travels to the stomach to be digested. When the adult returns to the nest, it regurgitates, or throws up, this food, which the young chick happily eats. The chick remains in the nest 6-10 months until it is ready to fly, or fledge. It will stay with its parents for several more months learning how to find food and survive on its own. A juvenile, or young, condor is brownish in color. Condors become adults at 6 years of age. An adult pair usually produces only one chick every other year. This slow reproductive rate makes recovery of the species challenging.

Andean Condor | American Bird Conservancy IUCN STATUS: Near Threatened TREND: Decreasing HABITAT: Habitats up to 16,000 feet in the Andes and Patagonia; coastal regions of western South America An official symbol of many Andean countries, the Andean Condor is among the heaviest flying birds, weighing up to 33 pounds with a wingspan of up to 10.5 feet. These birds are so large they make their close relative, the California Condor , look like a lightweight. Because Andean Condors are so heavy, they prefer areas where they can easily find strong thermal air currents to boost them into the air. Once aloft, they can soar for hours without a wing beat. The birds travel hundreds of miles each day in search of food. Long-lived Survivors Unfortunately, this near-threatened species is hunted for sport or by ranchers who mistakenly view the birds as a threat to livestock. Primarily a scavenger, condors can be sickened by consuming animals that have ingested lead or plants laden with pesticides . Since these birds only reproduce once every two years, their populations are especially sensitive to each individual loss.

Birds that escape these threats can live a long time—up to 70 years in captivity. Andean Condor close-up. Photo by Mircea Bezergheanu/Shutterstock ABC helped partner organization Fundación Jocotoco acquire a 7,000-acre area in Ecuador, Hacienda Antisanilla , which protects the majority of Andean Condors found in that country and adds to the buffer zone surrounding the Antisana Ecological Reserve. Andean Condors are also present at other reserves that ABC and our partners have established, including the Red-fronted Macaw Reserve in Bolivia and Vilcanota Reserve Network in Peru. Inspiration for Art Andean Condors play an important role in the folklore and mythology of the South American Andean regions and have been represented in Andean art from c. 2500 BCE onward. In Andean mythology, the Andean Condor was associated with the sun deity and was believed to be the ruler of the upper world. The bird is considered a symbol of power and health in many Andean cultures. People believed that the bones and organs of the Andean Condor possessed medicinal powers, which sometimes has led to the hunting and killing of condors to obtain bones and organs.

A Spirit-lifting Bird ABC's Benjamin Skolnik understands the power possessed by this bird. “I remember the first time I saw an Andean Condor,” he says. “During a backpacking trip in El Cajas National Park in central Ecuador, I struggled to warm my feet following a river crossing in frigid water. I looked to the sky and saw a pair of condors soaring. They lifted my spirit and helped me on my way.” Bird of the Week:

Question: 'Andean' and 'Californian' are the only two species of which bird?
Answer: CONDOR